Winston-Salem, N.C. -- Novant Health and Health Management Associates (HMA) have restructured their joint venture of HMA's seven hospitals in North and South Carolina. The most significant part of the restructuring involves Novant increasing its effective ownership interest to 99% in Franklin Regional Medical Center in Louisburg, N.C. and Upstate Carolina Medical Center in Gaffney, S.C. With that change, Novant will begin to manage and operate those two hospitals.

Novant Health's association with the two hospitals originally began in March 2008, after Novant formed a partnership with both facilities' parent organization, Health Management Associates, (HMA). That's when Novant purchased a 27 percent share of ownership of seven HMA hospitals: Davis Regional Medical Center, Statesville, N.C.; Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, Mooresville, N.C.; Franklin Regional Medical Center, Louisburg, N.C.; Sandhills Regional Medical Center, Hamlet, N.C.; Chester Regional Medical Center, Chester, S.C.; Upstate Carolina Medical Center, Gaffney, S.C.; and Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, Hartsville, S.C.

Novant Health and HMA agreed to reconfigure the original agreement allowing Novant the opportunity to become more engaged in those two communities. "We can become more involved with the Franklin and Gaffney hospital medical staffs, management teams, employees and civic leaders," explained Novant Health president Paul Wiles. "Becoming more involved with these hospitals will allow us to impact patient care and safety, physician partnerships and better support community outreach."

As part of the new agreement, Novant Health also increased its ownership share of Lake Norman Regional Medical Center from 27 to 30 percent. Novant Health will no longer be part owner of the other four HMA hospitals located in Statesville, Hamlet, Chester and Hartsville.

Below is a summary of the three hospitals remaining in the restructured joint venture:
Upstate Carolina Medical Center, Gaffney, S.C.

• Located about 65 miles southwest from Charlotte, in Cherokee County
• 125 beds: ICU, Post ICU, med/surg, OB, peds
• www.upstatecarolina.org

Franklin Regional Medical Center, Louisburg, N.C.

• Located in the Triangle region, north of Raleigh in Franklin County
• 70 beds: ICU, med/surg, telemetry, progressive care unit
• www.franklinregionalmedicalctr.com

Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, Mooresville, N.C.

• Located about 25 miles north from Charlotte, in Iredell County
• 105 beds: ICU, med/surg, OB, telemetry, progressive care unit, peds
• www.lnrmc.com

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Novant Health is a not-for-profit integrated group of hospitals and physician practices, caring for patients and communities in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina. The Novant Medical Group consists of 1,095 physicians in 359 clinic locations. Hospital affiliates include Presbyterian Hospital, Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital Matthews and Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville in the Charlotte area; Forsyth Medical Center and Medical Park Hospital in Winston-Salem; Thomasville Medical Center in Thomasville; Brunswick Community Hospital in Supply; Rowan Regional Medical Center in Salisbury; and Prince William Hospital in Manassas, V.A. Other Novant facilities and programs include nursing homes and assisted living, outpatient surgery centers, medical plazas, rehabilitation programs, community health outreach programs and the national MedQuest organization with 103 diagnostic imaging centers in 13 states. Novant Health is ranked 12th nationally among the 2009 Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks, according to an analysis by the SDI health informatics company.